BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 1745 By: S. Turner 04-11-95 Committee Report (Amended) BACKGROUND Hepatitis B can lead to chronic liver disease or liver cancer and is highly infectious. Traditionally, public health strategies for controlling hepatitis B have focused on immunizing persons at risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. However, this strategy has proven ineffective in stemming the spread of the disease. Public health experts now believe the most effective long-term strategy is to immunize children starting at an early age. PURPOSE H.B. 1745 would add hepatitis B to the immunizations required for Texas school children. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill grants additional rulemaking authority to the Texas Board of Health in SECTION 2. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Sec. 2.09(a), Education Code, to add hepatitis B to the list of immunizations that school children in Texas must have to be eligible to attend school. SECTION 2. States that immunization against hepatitis B is not required until a date specified in rules adopted by the Texas Board of Health. Allows the rules to stagger the implementation of the requirement for immunization against hepatitis B as added by SECTION 1 of the bill. SECTION 3. Emergency clause. Effective upon passage. EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS The amendment to H.B. 1745 adds SECTION 2 to the bill. It states that hepatitis B immunization is not required until a date specified by the Texas Board of Health, by rule. The amendment also allows implementation of the requirement to be staggered. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION H.B. 1745 was considered by the committee in a public hearing on April 11, 1995. The committee considered one amendment to the bill. The amendment was adopted without objection. The following persons testified in favor of the bill: Jean D. Neal Jr., representing SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals. Lynn F. Lennox Jr., RPh., representing SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals. The following person testified neutrally on the bill: Diane Simpson, M.D., representing self and Texas Department of Health. Jan Ozias, representing self. The bill was reported favorably as amended, with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed, by a record vote of 6 Ayes, 0 Nays, 0 PNV, and 3 Absent.